Re: GIF license policy

2000-03-02 Thread Kelly Lynn Martin

On Thu, 02 Mar 2000 09:12:07 +0100, Hubert Froehlich [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
said:

We want to use gimp to transform cartographic vector data into GIF
images for use in the internet.  However, the rights on the GIF
format are owned by Compuserve.

AFAIK, any software *producing* GIF images (such as Photoshop and all
that stuff) has to pay license fees to Compuserve. The software user,
then , has got the right to produce ANY amount of images.

I would strongly urge you to use some other format if you're concerned 
about the legal BS that surrounds the LZW patent.  PNG should will work
nicely for your purposes.

Kelly



Re: GIF license policy

2000-03-02 Thread Michael Schumacher

Am Thu, 2 Mar 2000 schrieb Hubert Froehlich:

 AFAIK, any software *producing* GIF images (such as  Photoshop and all
 that stuff) has to pay license fees to Compuserve. The software user,
 then , has got the right to produce ANY amount of images.
 
 My question now:
 
 a) Is this information correct?
 
 b) what about GIMP? How is the license policy concerning GIMP? To be
 concrete: We want to produce really HUGE AMOUNTS of GIF ( GIF 89a , to
 be precise, NOT the OLD GIF87a ) pictures NOT AT ALL FOR PRIVATE USE and
 don't want ot get any license trouble ...

 c) If we need any extra license: where to get it and what does it cost?

a) and c) : Take a look at http://burnallgifs.org/

b) You can't use gimp to produce gifs if you don't live in a country where
   the LZW patent doesn't matter.

Michael